Shipwreck SAVIOUR
When a storm hit during an overnight ferry trip, things started to look rocky... By Jenny Docherty, 65
As I mooched around the duty-free shops for a bargain, suddenly the ferry lurched.
Oh no, I thought, grasping at the railings for balance.
I was 20 and on a seven-hour overnight crossing from Hook of Holland to Harwich, Essex.
I’d been living in West Germany for the past two years as my husband was in the Army. During that time, I’d frequently crossed the channel to visit family and friends in the UK.
When we’d set sail, the sea had been an oasis of calm.
But an hour into the journey, the mood had taken a turn for the worse and the sea began to get increasingly choppy.
We were in the middle of a gale-force storm and waves were pounding the ship so fiercely it was making it near impossible for the ferry to make any headway.
Anything that wasn’t bolted down was sliding and crashing from one side of the ship to the other.
Fear coursed through my body.
Next, a huge bang echoed around the room as drinking glasses, plates and cups came crashing to the floor.
There was little anyone could do except pray.
The windows were glass, and I was scared stiff they would cave in too.
As I sat shaking, out of nowhere a strange voice came into my head.
‘Find a seat, take off your coat, lie down, and cover your face with it,’ it said.
I quickly did as I was told, finding a seat at the top of the ferry and holding on for dear life.
Then, 30 seconds later, there was an almighty bang as the windows imploded, sending seawater flooding in and shards of glass shattering everywhere. Thankfully, most ricocheted off the coat protecting my face.
Before I knew it, me and the other passengers were hurled across the floor.
And as I crashed down, I felt a sharp pain in my wrist.
I’d landed on glass and blood was pouring from a nasty gash on my arm and leg.
Next to me, I noticed a baby floating in the water, so I picked her up and took her to her parents.
By now, I was waist deep in water. We’re going to capsize, I thought. In the nick of time, a crew member found me and took me to safety below deck to treat my wounds.
‘If the glass had cut half an inch to the right, you’d have bled to death,’ he said.
I don’t know who spoke to me that day, but that spirit had saved my life.
Covering my face with the coat prevented what could have been devastating injuries.
Thankfully, after 17 hours, we landed in port. We’d all survived the terrible ordeal.
Since that day, I’ve gone on to become a medium and have been communicating with the spirit world for the past 30 years.
But I’ll never forget that experience. I’m so grateful to the loving entity who watched over me that fateful day.